Blog Posts From Tropical botany researcher Tagged With turberahttp://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/blogs/tropicalbotanyresearcher
Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:34:59 GMTJive SBS 4.5.6.0 (http://jivesoftware.com/products/clearspace/)2012-02-16T14:34:59ZValentine's day in Costa Rica and beyondhttp://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/blogs/tropicalbotanyresearcher/2012/02/16/valentines-day-in-costa-rica-and-beyond
<!-- [DocumentBodyStart:85b8d23f-bb89-4798-971f-894d872f1b53] --><div class="jive-rendered-content"><p>Well no valentine&rsquo;s day cards&#8230;sniff. <a class="" href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/community/nature-live/field-work-with-nature-live?view=overview">Tom from Nature Live</a> has been showing off his card for the last week and I was tempted to write one for myself. Today was another beautiful day though; bright blue skies and a light breeze.</p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">&#160;</p><p>After having separated into two groups for the past three days it felt good for us all to be working together again. We walked along the river on a very accident-inducing, slippery trail, with stunning views every few minutes.</p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">&#160;</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/servlet/JiveServlet/showImage/38-2268-29633/pic+1.jpg"><img alt="pic 1.jpg" class="jive-image-thumbnail jive-image" height="207" onclick="" src="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/servlet/JiveServlet/downloadImage/38-2268-29633/310-207/pic+1.jpg" width="310"/></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/servlet/JiveServlet/showImage/38-2268-29634/pic+2.jpg"><img alt="pic 2.jpg" class="jive-image-thumbnail jive-image" height="207" onclick="" src="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/servlet/JiveServlet/downloadImage/38-2268-29634/310-207/pic+2.jpg" width="310"/></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>(Click images to see them full size)</strong></p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">&#160;</p><p>Our site for the day was an area of &#8216;turbera&rsquo; or peat bog - an open expanse of lichen dominated ground with scattered tree ferns (<em>Blechnum buchtienii</em>) around whose base are even more lichens, epiphytes and shrubs.</p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">&#160;</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/servlet/JiveServlet/showImage/38-2268-29635/pic+3.jpg"><img alt="pic 3.jpg" class="jive-image-thumbnail jive-image" height="207" onclick="" src="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/servlet/JiveServlet/downloadImage/38-2268-29635/310-207/pic+3.jpg" width="310"/></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/servlet/JiveServlet/showImage/38-2268-29636/pic+4.jpg"><img alt="pic 4.jpg" class="jive-image-thumbnail jive-image" height="207" onclick="" src="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/servlet/JiveServlet/downloadImage/38-2268-29636/310-207/pic+4.jpg" width="310"/></a></p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">&#160;</p><p>Overlooking the bog was a loan, probably a dead oak tree, which despite having died is home to a mini forest of it&rsquo;s own on each branch. I spent more time than I should have trying to work out how many species were in the tree and the logistics of climbing up to collect them.</p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">&#160;</p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">&#160;</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/servlet/JiveServlet/showImage/38-2268-29637/pic+5.jpg"><img alt="pic 5.jpg" class="jive-image-thumbnail jive-image" height="207" onclick="" src="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/servlet/JiveServlet/downloadImage/38-2268-29637/310-207/pic+5.jpg" width="310"/></a></p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">&#160;</p><p>It was hard work pressing in the bright sun but we collected 58 species of vascular plants and Holger and Jo made some more fantastic aquatic lichen and moss discoveries.</p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">&#160;</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/servlet/JiveServlet/showImage/38-2268-29638/pic+6.jpg"><img alt="pic 6.jpg" class="jive-image-thumbnail jive-image" height="207" onclick="" src="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/servlet/JiveServlet/downloadImage/38-2268-29638/310-207/pic+6.jpg" width="310"/></a></p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">&#160;</p><p>It makes a real difference having the perspective of a different group of organisms. Holger was able to identify substantial amounts of basalt rock in the river bed which helps keep the pH close to neutral and so favour a rich and perse lichen community. This also gives us some clues to the history of these mountains.</p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">&#160;</p><p>He also very conveniently measures the temperature of the river (12&#176;C) which encouraged me to have a quick dip before we headed back to camp.</p></div><!-- [DocumentBodyEnd:85b8d23f-bb89-4798-971f-894d872f1b53] -->botanylichensoakmossescosta_ricaholger_thuesjo_wilbrahamfield_work_with_nature_liveepiphytesvascular_plantsblechnum_buchtieniiturberapeat_bogshrubsaquatic_lichensbasalt_rockThu, 16 Feb 2012 14:34:59 GMThttp://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/blogs/tropicalbotanyresearcher/2012/02/16/valentines-day-in-costa-rica-and-beyondAlex Monro2012-02-16T14:34:59Z3 years, 2 weeks ago0http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/blogs/tropicalbotanyresearcher/comment/valentines-day-in-costa-rica-and-beyondhttp://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/blogs/tropicalbotanyresearcher/feeds/comments?blogPost=2268